Yakiya

Excellent, fresh, and incredibly delicious cuts of meat grilled to perfection. Very friendly servers tend to the entire 10 course meal, at your table. Every single dish was superb and beautifully presented. The garnishes are all must try. The meal was well-paced and the portions were just right. Cocktails are also excellent.

Warm & welcoming while being polished & elegant. Cozy enough for an intimate date. Grand enough for a family gathering. This place delivers! The staff is friendly and professional. Their service spoils every guest. Oh, the food?! Wow! Everything was presented and prepared with grace and ease. The flavors were amazing. On the steep end for the experience but we'll worth it.

Service: there were only 2 female staff serving food, including grilling meat, and one guy making drinks. Rest of the staff were just around. We ordered a bottle of wine which didn’t even come till we had our second course. The wait staff never bothered to refill our glasses. Cleanliness: no toilet paper nor hand towels. The counter and floor was covered with water. Atmosphere: the music was so loud made it impossible to hear the wait staff introducing each dish. Then the restaurant allowed kids to run around. It’s like Chuck E. Cheese. Food: each dish is overpowered by one flavor, no balance nor layers of flavor. Take the steam egg with a slice of mushroom and crab meat as an example, the steam egg does not possess any flavor of mushroom nor the crab. The one flavor I would get from the steam egg is MSG!! The veggie platter’s miso dipping sauce is way too sweet. Radish dipping sauce for the steak totally ruined the flavor of the meat. There is one thing I absolutely cannot tolerate is the wait staff use the meat to clean/cost the grill then serve that piece to us!! Only go if you like to pay for something that’s totally not worth its price, go home extremely thirsty, kids running around, and wait for 15-20 minutes till you are served. Oh and don’t expect anyone to top off your glass!

If you’re craving a dining experience that goes far beyond your typical yakiniku, Yakiya in Pasadena delivers an unforgettable culinary journey. From the moment you step inside, the atmosphere feels refined yet inviting. The highlight, of course, is the expertly sourced Japanese A5 Wagyu and other premium cuts, each presented beautifully and grilled to perfection right at your table. Every bite is rich, tender, and melts in your mouth — a true showcase of quality. What makes Yakiya stand out is the curated tasting menu, which just flows like a story. We started with lighter dishes, moving through decadent Wagyu selections, and finishing with delicate sides and desserts that balance the meal. Pair this with their thoughtful cocktail, sake and wine list, and you’ll find the experience to be both elegant and memorable. For anyone looking to celebrate a special occasion, impress a guest, or simply indulge in one of the best Japanese dining experiences in the San Gabriel Valley, Yakiya is a must-visit. Reservations are highly recommended. come hungry, because you’ll want to savor every course.

Took my siblings and cousin here for dinner and we all got the Dine LA multi course dinner. We added on the caviar and ordered some drinks. The cocktails were excellent. I loved that they had a good selection of Wellers.

Went for the smaller yakiniku set ($78 vs $128) and really enjoyed it. It was satisfying without making me feel overly full or going over budget. The food was served at a relaxed pace, which made it a great spot to catch up and chat with friends. If you're looking for a quicker dinner, consider trying their shabu-shabu menu or letting the staff know in advance.

What a surprisingly pleasant experience! The tasting menu was very thoughtful, every single course was mouthwatering. Beginning from crispy tendon to wagyu/bone marrow stone pot rice. Beef tongue was so good had to order a 2nd round. Ribeye in pouched egg was a perfect match , smooth egg York without over shadowing the beef taste. Lemon sorbet was too sour as a dessert imo. Service was top notch and server was polite and patience for this first timer. High end smokeless bbs grill without going home smell like a steak so your dog won’t go crazy sniffing you. Definitely will go back real soon.

Had an amazing first experience at Yakiya tonight! Stopped by to check out their fantastic bourbon selection, then stayed to sample the delicious a la carte menu at the bar. Each dish was unique with memorable flavors. Servers were attentive and knowledgeable with good recommendations for food & drinks. Classy but relaxed atmosphere. Going back next week to try the prix fixe dinner menu with my wife. If you enjoy bourbon, Japanese whiskey or Asian fusion cuisine, you should stop by.

Yakiya gave us an unforgettable dining experience from start to finish. Our group enjoyed the ten course prix fixe menu, and each course was beautifully prepared with rich flavors and elegant presentation. The pacing felt perfect and the entire evening flowed with a calm and refined rhythm. We were a party of ten seated at a comfortable two grill table. The staff worked both grills at the same time with skill and confidence, which is not easy to do. They handled a group of our size with ease, and we never felt crowded or overlooked. One of our guests has celiac disease, and from the moment we arrived, our host addressed the allergy with sincere care. Our host, servers, and chefs made every effort to modify dishes when possible and clearly identify each plate as it arrived. They made our allergy guest feel valued and included, not like an inconvenience, which is something very rare in most restaurants. Even though the grills are built into the tables, the room never felt smokey and our clothes did not absorb any cooking smell the way they do at many BBQ spots. Their venting system works extremely well and makes the entire experience more comfortable. The decor is attractive and modern without feeling over the top, creating a warm and relaxed setting. Service and food were exceptional in every way. The entire staff was attentive, knowledgeable, and truly focused on giving us a great evening. This is a wonderful place for a celebration or any special occasion. We left completely satisfied and excited to return.

Wow!!! 5/5 stars all around for Yakiya. First of all, the quality of the food is fantastic. Their servers are sooo friendly and the ambiance really makes you feel at home. This place is great for special occasions. I highly recommend coming here if you're looking for super yummy and good quality Wagyu with great service. Located in a spacious area with a huge parking lot.

Came here to celebrate my birthday over the weekend. Husband made the reservations and it was easy. They even called to confirm if we wanted the Prix fix menu vs Shabu. Based on the pricing of the sample menu on their website, husband thought Shabu would be the better option. Parking was easy and plentiful, decor and ambiance was very nice. It's on the darker side inside with no TVs (thank goodness, since the Dodgers were playing, we really just wanted to enjoy the evening). We were seated quite quickly and the Host was very nice, even asking where we normally have Shabu and jokingly agreed with us and asked for honest feedback but didn't follow up at the end of the meal. Both he and our waitress informed us that the Shabu menu was printed separately on a paper but never brought it to us. We started by ordering our drinks but it took a while to get them. The drinks saved them a Star. We ordered the Fog on Mt Fugi and Skytree, they were visually appealing. Fog came with some smoke in a bubble. They knew that we were doing Shabu, so the menu is set already and a kids meal that was $20. The kids meal came with a 3rd of an apple, 2 halved raw carrots and 2 strips of cucumber with sesame dipping sauce, egg fried rice with a couple slices of beef sprinkled with seaweed, and chiwanmushi (steamed egg custard). Our kiddo's meal came first with our appetizer tray that came with the A5 wagyu spoon, uni egg, and ribeye tartar. Then came the Chiwanmushi shortly after and all of the dipping sauces, sesame & ponzu. But we couldn't eat anything because we had to wait for the soup base. There are only 2 options and you don't have a choice, spicy miso and dashi kombu. They weren't flavorful at all. The following plates/dishes came in increments of about 15-20 min. First came the seafood and veggie platter. Then came the prime chuck, then the wagyu chuck eye and a5 chuck rib (the best tasting beef offering). And that was it for the Shabu menu. Once the plates were cleared we waited about 20 min for the birthday treat, which ended up being 3 individual melon ball scoops of lemon sorbet with basil oil with a flat piece of meringue printed with Happy Birthday and my name. And 2 balls of chocolate filled with a liquid matcha surprise inside. Overall the slow service for us, because we ordered Shabu. There were 3 tables seated after we had been seated and they had the prix fix menu and were finished with their meals and gone before us. We rarely saw our server because she was overseeing 2 tables with the prix fix menu and was cooking for them. And NO ONE else, besides her, checked in on us during those time gaps. We got no information or guidance on how long to cook each of our items for tastiest results. We weren't full because of the wait time in between dishes, so we actually left the restaurant still hungry and ended up going somewhere else to pick up something on the way home. Our total time seated at the table was nearly 2 hours. If you want to try this place, go try the Prix fix instead of the Shabu. Keep in mind the pricing on the website is not always accurate because it is a sample menu based on season. Also considering on Yelp they have $$$$ and is a self proclaimed sophisticated luxury dining experience, there were lots of people casually dressed, in sweatpants and a hoodie, or shorts and baseball cap.

Awesome dining experience with quality beef cooked right at your table by attentive staff. Recommend ordering their course menu as it ends up having better value than ordering a la carte. They have a full bar with creative cocktails as well as traditional ones. New happy hour on weekdays from 4:30-6:30pm and again at 9-10pm. I like the Skytree lychee cocktail. Fruity and refreshing. Some of my favorites are the flavorful A5 Nigiri, chawanmushi, scallop crudo, bone marrow, and wagyu tataki. The yuzu sorbet is also the perfect way to end the scrumptious meal. This spacious elegant restaurant is the spot for special occasions or just to simply have a quality meal with friends and family. They also can do private dining for events just ask the manager Jason, who's down to earth and knowledgeable. Overall, this high-end Japanese yakiniku bbq restaurant with shabu shabu hot pot offering is a must-try!

I've been to the Yakiya in Hacienda Heights but I honestly like the ambiance of this location a lot better. The course they have here is amazing. All of the meats and the way they cook it for you is delectable and a work of art. They also give you time to prepare to get a good shot of the food and the presentation that comes along with it, as you can see in my pictures and videos. We also did the bone marrow shot for my boyfriend bc it was his birthday dinner hehe. Service is always amazing here. They servers do a great job of explaining each course and they also helped me take the video of my bf taking the bone marrow shot LOL (video not posted) It is a pretty pricey course but it's definitely worth it. Hopefully someone will take me here for my bday so I can come again (and not pay LOL)

This is one of the better dining experiences I've had. Unlike Korean barbecues, they prepare everything for you and the quality and the service are all first rate. In my opinion, the food is worth more than the price point.

Can't believe this establishment was started by the panda corporation. I like how our server wears a panda corporation pin on his lapel. I've actually had this place saved for a long time and when came here for their dine LA menu. Needless to say I as very impressed. Made reservations online, process was easy. The restaurant is very modern, tables were mainly booths. Ambient lighting and really nice ambiance. You are greeted immediately when you walk in and seated right away. The preset menu is 11 small tasting courses. The portions are on the smaller side but you'll definitely be full afterwards. The entire meal was delicious but there were definitely dishes that stood out. My favorites were: A5 Wagyu tartar - super fresh, tasty. Covered with ponzu jelly and truffle. I was pleasantly surprised how delicious this was. Miso Chilean sea bass - kind of reminiscent of nobu's miso cod. Really delicious and the buttery taste of the sea bass shines through SRF short rib - the staff cooks all of the meats which is a nice touch. They know what temperature best to cook the meats to. There's sauces that accompany the meats as well A5 Kagoshima ribeye - definitely can tell the difference with this one. They do dip the Wagyu in a poached egg mixture which I have not had before but nonetheless delicious. One of the better meals I've had in a while. Definitely give it a try if you haven't.

The food was amazing but the service was top notch. Everyone was very attentive. The attention to detail is worth mentioning. Even the wet towel with lavender essence. The beef was delicious, the tartare melts in your mouth, the egg dish was so good. They surprised me with a birthday special, the ice cream was so good. Very nice atmosphere, amazing Japanese toilets, beautiful decors. I'd recommend it. Especially for a family night, girls night, dates, or birthdays!! Truly beautiful restaurant paired with the best service and delicious food!

Dropping 1 star because the booking portal for Dine In LA for this restaurant was missing a key aspect. Booking on the Dine In LA portal only allowed for the original menu and I wanted the special Dine In LA menu. Thankfully, they were able to accomodate us for the special menu as I would have been quite upset. Anyhow, the restaurant, service, ambiance, and food was exceptional. The staff are very skilled at preparation of the meats. The presentation of the uncooked then cooked items was spot on. The meats and other items was perfect. The order of presentation was typical with the attention to detail and geared towards palate pleasing. We started with the tartare and an abalone steamed egg; some very clean sea bass; grilled tongue and short rib with a cool tomato and watermelon radish; wagyu garlic fried rice prepared table side; oxtail broth; ribeye with a delicate poached egg; and finished with some yuzu cheesecake. Please repeat for next Dine In LA event but change the dessert. The yuzu cheesecake was still frozen and only a hint of yuzu flavor. Everything else was just fantastic.

7/29/2025 - Dine LA Week brought us to Yakiya in Pasadena - It is one of the best deals for this kind of multi-course lunch or dinner menu at a nice ambient environment. The presentation and taste of each dish earns 5 stars except for SRF American Wagyu (Short Rib) that is too chewy, per our excellent waiter, Aeko, sometimes, it is very good depending on the part of the Wagyu Chef gets. Of course, A5 KAGOSHIMA RIBEYE & POACHED EGG may earn a Michelin star dish. Adding Garlic Miso Bone Marrow for $15 to Wague Garlic Rice is worth it - the best we have had. Again, Aeko delivered an excellent service for us, and his timing for each cource arrival is perfect. Yakiya has a free WiFi access as well as a shared huge parking lot for free. In summary, this DineLA menu will be a perfect fine dining menu if the SRF American Wagyu (Short Rib) can be replaced with either a high-quality sashimi or sushi. Note: A 43-second video for this tasting menu is available on YouTube or TikTok.

Highly recommend their DineLA tasting menu. Kudos to the chef who create the tasting menu, they did a fantastic job. There's several small courses, but in the end we were filled and satisfied. This was our first time here and our waiter was Angelo and he was amazing and walked up through each course. We're so used to KBBQ that we tried cooking the first few meat ourselves, but honestly just let the waitstaff do it. Angelo timed just right for each meat and his tasted so much better than ours. We definitely had the fine dining experience here and I didn't feel the DineLA menu compromise my experience. It's a DineLA done right and had me wanting more. There are different reservations- regular, shabu, and DineLA during DineLA week. You'll have to scroll down their Opentable reservation page for the DineLA option. So make sure you select the correct one to make your reservation. If you prefer more of a quiet dining experience, the patio is more quiet compared to inside. The alcohol is well balanced and strong! We will definitely come back! This location is away from downtown pasadena area, so there's a large parking lot and it's free!

I've eaten here a few times for their weekend lunch menu. After being denied service today for their DineLA menu, I've decided never again. Despite being willing to accommodate me for their regular menu (seating available), the hostess told me I would need to use their reservation system for DineLA, which doesn't accept reservations for solo diners. After driving 25 minutes to dine here and being told that I could only be seated for their regular menu (higher spend) but turned away for the DineLA menu, it didn't make sense for me to continue patronizing a restaurant that makes a return customer drive *almost one hour* (round-trip) for absolutely nothing at all but bad vibes. Our time on this planet is limited; there's almost nothing I dislike more than someone completely wasting it. Never another cent Yakiya; I'm done with this place My silver lining is that I was fortunate enough to have dinner at a Michelin one star in Barcelona three nights ago and am dining at another Michelin one star in Los Angeles tomorrow. So this unfortunate blip won't kill the good vibes for long. It's just sad that you have to actually go upstream to Michelin caliber restaurants for quality service nowadays Since I won't be back, I'll post some photos of previous visits I never had a chance to post in the past

We came here for dinner to celebrate a friend's birthday. We opted for the Yakiya preset menu which came out to about $70 per person. Everything we had here was amazing. I will say the portions are smaller, but we left feeling satisfied at the end of our meal. The experience took about 1.5 hours, but it actually didn't feel too long as they paced everything out.

We had the Yakima set dinner menu last night (10/17/25), it was the most phenomenal meal I have ever had!! It was one of the best meals, and worthy of Michelin Star!! I have never had Kimchi Fried Rice ever made like they served!! It was the "Bomb" To the staff, Angel, our server, and all the other servers, and most especially, Jason, my heartfelt and deepest gratitude for making my birthday dinner a memorable celebration, and taking good care of us!!

My first wagyu omakase experience & definitely won't be my last. Yakiya will keep you coming back. Dinner Omakase - ribeye, skirt, A5 miyazaki chuck - bluefin tuna, hamachi - wagyu beef tongue - chawanmushi - A5 miyazaki wagyu strip loin w/ poached egg - wagyu ponzu jelly - filet mignon on bone marrow rice - ribeye tataki - local farmer's veggies, multigrain cracker - strawberry lemonade - lemon olive oil sorbet

A Truly Exceptional Family Dinner at Yakiya Pasadena My family and I, my wife, two kids, our parents, and Ihad a fantastic experience at Yakiya Pasadena. We opted for the Original Course (their celebrated chef's pre‑fixe menu), and it was a hit across all five of us! Food & Presentation From the first bite to the last, every dish showcased top-tier quality. The premium beef (both U.S. and Japanese cuts) arrived beautifully marbled and was expertly grilled right at our our table. It was thoughtfully paced, small enough to sample plenty, yet satisfying enough that we all left thoroughly full, just as other diners have noted . Pre-fixe Course Highlights We started with tantalizing raw dishes like the tartare with caviar and it set the tone for an elegant and elevated tasting journey. Each meat course was rich and flavorful, and even the bone marrow fried rice felt indulgent yet balanced. ‍‍‍ Family-Friendly Vibe Bringing both kids and grandparents can sometimes be tricky but not here. The intimate, dining room and attentive staff made the experience seamless for all ages. We appreciated how they made my children feel welcome and comfortable, while still delivering that upscale yakiniku experience. Service & Atmosphere Service throughout was outstanding. Our server guided us through each course thoughtfully, making sure everyone was happy and at ease. The combination of warm woods, leather accents, and a gentle hustle behind the scenes created a refined, welcoming space. Parking is plentiful so there is no need for valet parking.

Had a wonderful evening at Yakiya last night. This is a beautiful restaurant. Just walking up, you know this is a very nice space. The Hostess Jill was very nice. She was able to accommodate my seating request. Our server was Jeana and she was so very nice to us! She was very friendly, informative and kept the pace according to our needs. Thank you Jeana. The food was amazing! We had the 10 course dinner and is was outstanding. What a great variety. Everything was delicious. Our only feedback was that the fired rice was served at the end of the meal. We would have preferred to enjoy the fried rice earlier in the process. Overall, we had a great evening and enjoyed the experience very much!

Came here for Father's Day and parents liked it! And despite the small portions that come out at a time, we left full and satisfied. This time we got their new $78 tasting menu, as well as their $12 Matcha IPA (soooo bitter, dad was OK w it tho) and $9 Strawberry Lemonade (refreshing but prob wouldn't get again) This time around they made a good amount of changes to their menu. The most noticeable for me was the picanha switch from the filet mignon. I found the picanha to be more chewy than I would have liked, and because it's topped on the rice, it was hard to bite (our plates had already been swapped for bowls so we couldn't cut it). The extra yakiniku sauce to drizzle on top of the rice as well as the garlic bits were great tho. Things that were kept from previous menus include the beef tongue and scallion kosho which was one of my faves as well as the chawanmushi - hearty and oh so yummy. The lemon sorbet w/ basil oil and the cuts of meat that sit on plated nitrogen gas are all great too. Dad is usually not a fan of raw food items, but surprisingly really liked the starting tartare course! I was too, whilst mom had to ask for lemon to squeeze on which ended up also being tasty. The only main downside was the wait time in between portions - I think it's because of how busy it was - all the tables were taken and had to wait for our table for our reservation at 6:30pm (we were seated about 15 minutes after.) They asked for my dad's name and was hoping they would laser it onto the meringue cookie at the end like how they do for other occasions but that wasn't the case this time :,) Shout out to Team S for the smiles and thoughtful explanations and cooking! We left this place with a renewed appreciate for quality beef and various cuts :,)

It's been awhile since I've had fine dining and Yakiya definitely did not disappoint! Came here to celebrate my son and his mom's bday and from start to finish it was a fun and tasty experience going through all the courses! Everything tasted fresh, peak of their flavor and was cooked perfectly. Highly recommended and will definitely be back

I came here with a bunch of gfs during Dine LA week. We made reservations, so it was nice to get seated quickly. I thought the service was so nice and welcoming. We were asked right away what we wanted, and we started with cocktails! Yummy, mine was all fancy and came with a misty bubble on top. Yeah, it's hard to explain, but it was supposed to be like the mist on top of the mountains in Japan or something. Anyway, our prix fixed menu came and the items were adorable and very cute. The taste was divine and I really enjoyed the wagyu beef that the server cooked for you! Highly recommend this place, the A/C was very good-- this is very important to me in the summertime.

My party of 5 went for Dine LA at 8:30 PM. Tons of parking in the plaza, and the restaurant is easy to find. We waited around 15 minutes after our reservation to get seated. The atmosphere is cozy and comfortable, lighting dim and music was calm. Classy vibes but great for conversation. The Dine LA set menu consists of 11 courses: A5 Japanese Wagyu tartare, nori ribeye tartare, abalone chawanmushi, miso chilean sea bass, SRF American Wagyu beef tongue, SRF American Wagyu short rib, ponzu tomato salad (watermelon radish shimeji soaked in 3 hr honey), wagyu garlic rice paired with oxtail broth, A5 Kagoshima ribeye (yakiniku, poached egg), yuzu cheesecake Since my business partners came straight from China, I was worried that they wouldn't be full after the first 3 courses because the plates were tiny. I ordered 2 more dishes off the menu: ribeye (4 pieces) and 6 fresh oysters, and we were all pretty full by the time dessert came. If you have a big appetite, I'd recommend ordering 1-2 more items off the menu, but I couldn't even finish the wagyu garlic rice in the middle. My absolute favorites were the sea bass and beef tongue. Although I don't consume beef tongue on the regular, this one was out of the world!!! I'm not a big fan of beef tongue either but it was perfectly chewy and cooked really, really well. Everything was cooked really well, the servers really know what they're doing. Honestly, I could skip the oysters because even though they tasted good, they weren't amazing like the meats. Our server coursed out the meals *perfectly*, leaving ample time between the next dish, but not too long that we felt like we were waiting for our food. We ate over the course of 2 hours, leaving around 10:20 PM and I think this restaurant is perfect for business meals. All of us felt like the time flew by. We were relaxed and having such great conversations as the courses came and went. It was an ebb and flow type of dinner, and I enjoyed every bit of the vibes and the food. The servers here are all amazing and kind. Service is exceptional. I'm definitely coming back and introducing more people to this restaurant. Next time, I'll try another tasting menu of theirs. I highly recommend coming here for Dine LA, it's a perfect introduction to what their restaurant has to offer.

I loved the overall vibe and experience of this place. If you are looking for AYCE, then go to Chubby Cattle. I made reservations online for a party of 3 to celebrate a bday and a graduation. They seated me earlier than expected and I was able to get a cocktail while I waited for the rest of my party to arrive. The interior is very modern, sleek, and pretty. The servers were very personable and approachable without any pretense, which I appreciate at such a nice atmosphere! I am willing to pay the money so I was able to relax as much and enjoy my time. We ordered the Original set for all 3 of us and ordered multiple rounds of their tasty cocktails. They let us take our time and ENJOY the meats. I spent $800+ on the 3 of us for a special occasion and it was well worth it. One of my friends compared it to Chubby Cattle, UM DON'T. This is not AYCE and you can taste it... also you can experience it, too! The cockails made by Sean were amazing. Service by Angelo and Tiffany were humble, attentive, and efficient. I will come back again. I've been to IWagyu which is somewhat comparable to this, but this place is definitely in a higher level in terms of service, ambiance, and quality of meets.

Wow! The original tasting menu was amazing!! Everything was so good. Of course the A5 wagyu was out of this world! The wagyu beef tongue was amazing too. Service was also amazing. And don't forget about their cocktails and mocktails too. Restaurant was very nice. The ambience was very cool and elegant. Worth the price!

Came here twice for dineLA cause it was really good. Came here once with friends and then had to visit the Hacienda Heights restaurant also cause I wanted to bring my parents. Yes it's that good. Wagyu meats were top notch and the chawamushi was so delicious. Chef's kiss

Been wanting to try and have heard amazing things so waited for Dine LA so we could try a tasting menu. Mmm everything was very.. raw egg yolky? Best part was the ribeye and the yuzu cheesecake was to die for. The servers cook the meat for you just FYI. I think the dinner is supposed to last 90 mins but they were so overwhelmed that night it ended up being 2 hours! I've read reviews of ppl saying the inside is loud I didn't think so when we got there, still opted to sit outside since we have a toddler. Oh by the way the kids meal was the best thing ever!!! Rice with meat, fresh veggies and fruit, well balanced and delicious. Anyways when we left it was super loud inside would have been hard to hear the rest of your party. Make sure to indicate where you'd like to sit for your reservation because they plan for that. All in all, glad I tried, likely won't be back.

We got the dineLA menu and thought it was great! It was easy to make reservations by calling. My favorites were the abalone chawanmushi, beef tongue, short rib, wagyu garlic rice with the upgraded additional bone marrow. It was pretty busy while we were there, and our dinner took awhile (almost 2 hours!) The service was wonderful and they take notes if you're celebrating anything special. We were celebrating a birthday and at the end of the meal they put a personalized "happy birthday ___" lasered onto an edible cracker. The decor and ambience were upscale, great place to celebrate a special occasion or for business meals!

Came here via car for my birthday dinner in early March 2025. The parking lot was free with plenty of parking spaces. FYI, they will not seat you early if you come early. Service was great. Food was beautiful with lots of flavor. We went with the grilling prefix instead of the shabu version. Was not disappointed. They have this scallion sauce that was SO good! I love that they put yuzu in many of their dishes. We ordered a side of Crab Salad with our meal because my partner wasn't full yet. Plus, we needed the extra veggies. Make sure to bring GasX with you for this meal.

Recently I took my boyfriend here for his birthday dinner and we were blown away. I don't know if anyone else can relate, but at this point we are a little skeptical going to nicer restaurants that flaunt A5 Wagyu around. So many places are all marketing and completely lack quality or substance but this is not the case with Yakiya, and I'm so happy we gave it a try! From the moment we stepped into the restaurant we were greeted and quickly sat to our table. The ambiance is chic and perfect for a nice date night or special occasion. The food... absolute melt in your mouth perfection as you would expect with Japanese A5. Every meat was cooked just right for us by our server and paired with different accoutrements that accented the natural flavors of the meats nicely. We were also offered a bone marrow whisky shot for his birthday. Yes, we were confused a bit by that sentence too but it was a fun surprise that I won't ruin. My only nit picky criticisms would be that some items felt a little heavy/ rich like the bone marrow rice or the dish that came in the egg (sorry I can't remember what it was called). They were good but were a bit overwhelming towards the end. Otherwise everything else was perfect! We will be coming back for sure and recommending it to all of our friends. Although it may seem pricey, for the quality of the meal I think it's very worth it. Side note: Their bathrooms are so clean and fancy! The nice thick paper towels, toilet paper, and the fancy toilets from Japan. Ya girl appreciates the small things.

Excited to try this place for the dinela menu. The decor was and ambience was upscale but parts of the service felt needed fine tuning. They noted on our reservation card that we were celebrating my sisters bday but at the end of the meal didn't do anything special what so ever which I thought was odd. Why ask and note and then nothing?! The courses start very very strong and they were very very tasty and I was very excited for the 11 course journey. But the time we got to the fried rice.. the food was not at the same level as the first 4 courses and I did NOT care for the poach egg wagyu dish or the oxtail soup which was overly seasoned dashi. I didn't even finished those courses and I finish everything at these kind of places. I'm glad I tried it but I think I got rid of the itch.

A little random cause I live in RH but yea...I came here for dinela deal and it was pretty worth. This is strictly for the dinela deal because $68 is honestly pretty good especially in merica'. They were super busy when we arrived on Sunday and everybody like us was there for the DineLA deal. Service was ok...it's ok though cause they were rightfully busy so it was understandable. While the DineLA is honestly pretty worth, prob won't be back for awhile unless there's some kind of deal like that. Did think the dessert was pretty bad...(that cheesecake) and the tomato that once was one of my favorite(and I know it's not that anymore) is prob one of the worst now.

My husband and I have been wanting to try Yakiya for awhile now, and when we saw they had a Dine LA menu we thought it would be the perfect chance to finally try it for the first time. The ambiance of the restaurant was very moody and trendy on the inside, but honestly the music was really loud and it was really cold indoors also. We got sat outside on the patio which I preferred because it was more quiet, but our server said they don't usually seat people outside so I'm assuming when we went it was busier than usual. We had reservations and didn't get seated for about 20+ minutes after our booked time. I understand they were busy and were waiting for previous tables to leave, but my husband and I were starting to get antsy because we hadn't eaten for awhile to save our appetites for our dinner here. The manager made up for it and apologized - he comped our drinks which was really nice! The customer service here was great. The Dine LA menu had a good array of choices which I think really highlighted a lot of choices on their menu. I really liked the Beef Tongue and the Miso Chilean Sea Bass. The Wagyu Garlic Rice was good also! My husband and I enjoyed our whole meal and we'll definitely come back again!

Jimmy made our experience here PHENOMENAL! We are so happy you got to celebrate our dad with us tonight. The food is spectacular but Jimmy makes it soar even more. We all laughed so much tonight! I could go on and on about Jimmy but I'm sure everyone wants to know about the food. :) Every dish is a melt-in-your-mouth orgasm. Nothing was average here and worth every penny. Ambience is beautiful. Silverware is luxurious. Staff is great! Jason even stopped by with some jokes too. Lol! We will definitely be coming back! Thank you, Jimmy, Jason, and staff.

Dine LA was decent. The prefix menu started off strong, but it ended a bit weak for my own tastes. Their appetizers were so delectable and addictive. I wanted more. The wagyu tartare and uni caviar egg were delicious. The beef tongue was good. I am not really a wagyu person, but I enjoyed it very much. The garlic fried rice was ok. I'm not really a rice person. The yuzu cheesecake was alright. The service was great though. The decor and the ambiance were really nice. It felt fancy. I would come back again where I can choose all the dishes I want. I definitely would come back for the wagyu and appetizers!

service is always exceptional here!!! the staff and management is always so interactive with guest ensuring we enjoy the meal and experience they have to offer here. they are always super attentive as well. I came to try their shabu menu and it was extremely filling, came with the normal vegetables & I think 3 rounds of high quality meat. the cocktails and drinks are super delicious as well. i always go with anything yuzu or lychee. parking is easy to find as well, always make a reservation when coming here :) the interior design is always pleasant and allows a comfortable luxurious feel and the tables are within a good distance from each other

Ambiance: as soon as you walk in, it feels like an upscale restaurant. Especially when you use their restrooms with their high tech toilets that automatically flush for you. You can see an open kitchen and nice bar setup with the lit-up whiskies! We found out from our server, Lester, this is the high end concept from the Panda group! Aka the owners of Panda Express. Parking: Ample Food was amazing! Guaranteed to have a good meal for your special occasion, or just a Monday night. Partner doesn't like raw. You can opt for raw option or get cooked alternatives. So both of us were so happy getting our preferences! Beef tartare, Egg custard and the meat dipping sauce were some standouts. The sorbet with the basil oil, what a treat! We ordered the crispy pig ear a la carte per recommendation by our server! Service was spectacular!! Lester and other staff were so accommodating. Due to the sick season, they happened to be understaffed that night. But you can see the servers working their butt off to give quality and timely service. We had such a pleasant experience mostly impart to Lester, the staff and the delicious food!

Came here because we went to the one in Hacienda Heights when they first started. While we liked it, we wanted to see what was different about this location. The atmosphere and build out were really modern compared to the other one with hints of wood trims. I like there's basically no choice (LOL), it's a set dinner per person at $128. It comes with various dishes starting with a yuku drink as a palate cleanser (the other place had a yuzu jello that I enjoyed more). Appetizers: Smoke infused carpaccio beef and a caviar tartare tart Main: BBQ with various cuts of wagyu beef (tongue, ribeye, sirloin), mostly in small slices along with a veggie platter. Bone marrow rice topped with filet mignon Japanese wagyu (with their birth certificate) with a poached egg Ending with a surprised dessert (cant tell you) It was a fun experience, but I only took a star away because the cocktails were so expensive. I felt the meal was already quite expensive and we really wanted to drink, but at $20+ a cocktail, we only opted for 1 and a shared sake. Service could also up a notch with a little more dialogue on the dishes, but we understood she was quite new to the restaurant. The location is off East Pasadena, very close to the metro station. Plenty of parking.

We had a fantastic meal the food was excellent and the service was really good. Our top favorites were the uni with caviar (absolutely luxurious), the wagyu tartare, and the melt-in-your-mouth A5 Kagoshima Ribeye. Every dish was beautifully presented and full of flavor. The only reason for the 4 stars instead of 5 was the pacing of the experience. It felt a bit rushed, almost like we were on a timer. The bill was brought out before our desserts arrived, which came off as a bit impersonal and took away from an otherwise special meal. That said, we'd still come back, just hoping for a more relaxed pace next time to truly savor the food and the environment.

Amazing experience! We've gotten to try the original Hacienda Heights location as well as this newer Pasadena location and each occasion has been great. They specialize in an about a 15-course experience (if you're getting the original menu) including a variety of high quality meats, seafood, and palate cleansers. We were worried we weren't going to be filled since the dishes seem small at first, but there are just so many different courses we more than filled at the end. Presentation of the dishes were very unique with the server coming out to explain each ingredient as well as the proper way to eat it. One of my favorites included the A5 Miyazaki Wagyu Ribeye in a poached egg. Also at the end it was so cool they brought a bone marrow to make a unique rice mix, and then proceeded to give us a whisky shot with the leftover bone. The overall experience was fun and memorable, but note it was very long. Whole meal took about 2.5-3 hr to finish. Also it's quite pricey at $128/person. They do have a "seafood" alternate menu you can order but I wouldn't recommend it. You just don't get replacements that feel the same value (I.e scallops, shrimp vs A5 wagyu beef). It still costs the same as the original menu.

Finally got to try this restaurant as it's been on my try list for a long time. Inside is modern minimalist decor with spacious booth seating. I like that it's a prix fix menu so I don't even have to decide what I want. Soon as we sat down and got some water the dishes start coming. They are served one at a time and each dish is picture worthy. Presentation is def something they put effort into here. All the dishes were absolutely wonderful. The bone marrow rice was so good and if all the dishes before it hadn't filled you up, the rice helps. The service was fantastic and they cook all the meat for you and explain how it should be enjoyed which is nice. One star less because we ordered alcoholic drink and didn't get it until about four dishes in. Also I'm not a big eater so I was full but others in my party were still a bit hungry after.

Walking into Yakiya's new location felt like stepping onto a dazzling stage - sleek interiors, luxurious vibes, and the promise of culinary theater. We were eager to see how their latest offering, the highly anticipated Shabu Experience menu, would take this performance to the next level. But honestly? What unfolded felt less like Broadway and more like an offbeat rehearsal where everyone forgot their lines. Act I: The Menu Mystery Let's start with the menu. The whole "Chef's Pre-fixe Menu" idea, now adapted for their new Shabu Experience, sounds amazing on paper, but no one explained how it actually worked. Should we all order the same thing? Or mix it up? The waitstaff didn't really know either, so we were left guessing. It kind of felt like trying to solve a puzzle with half the pieces missing. Act II: A Restroom Odyssey This one's a head-scratcher. We showed up at 4:30 PM, and the place was basically empty, yet the restroom was out of order for almost an hour. No one gave us a reason or an alternative. It was just... unavailable. At one point, I started wondering if this was supposed to be part of the "experience." Act III: The Appetizer Surprise Before things went sideways, the appetizers brought a glimpse of hope. They were beautifully presented, almost like works of art, and the flavors were surprisingly delightful. For a brief moment, we thought this might just be the culinary journey Yakiya had promised. Unfortunately, this was more like the highlight of an opening act that the rest of the performance couldn't live up to. Act IV: Sauce Shenanigans Now for the sauces. One server brought out something and confidently called it by the wrong name. Then she came back and said, "Oh, actually, it's sesame sauce. Sorry, it's a new item!" A new item? At a place that prides itself on chef-curated perfection? The irony wasn't lost on us. Act V: The Hotpot Horror This part was almost painful. They turned on our hotpot stove - or at least they thought they did. Twenty minutes later, we realized it wasn't even on, so we just sat there waiting for lukewarm broth to do... something. By the time it finally started boiling, our patience had already boiled over. Act VI: The Dry Ice Drama Ah, the dry ice. Or, actually, the lack of it. We were supposed to get this cool smoke effect, but it never happened. For a moment, we thought the ice was edible. My wife even poked it with her chopsticks until a manager finally came over and apologized. Apparently, they "forgot" to set it up. Classic. Act VII: Meat Matters Let's talk about the meat. Most of it was, frankly, chewy and disappointing. The only highlight was the A5 Wagyu Chuck Rib, which was fantastic... but it was served in portions so tiny it felt like a teaser instead of a main event. If you're coming here hungry, good luck. Act VIII: Waiter Swap Chaos Halfway through our meal, they switched out our waiter without saying anything. This caused all sorts of confusion because we kept asking the wrong person for things, and they just stared at us like we were speaking another language. A simple heads-up would've made a world of difference. Act IX: The Space-Age Restroom Now, let's give credit where it's due: the restroom. Once it was finally available, it turned out to be one of the evening's most memorable features. The high-tech toilet felt like something out of a futuristic spaceship, complete with sleek design and functions that made it feel more luxurious than the dining experience itself. Honestly, it left us more impressed than the food. Curtain Call: A New Location Still Finding Its Footing This Yakiya location feels like it's still figuring things out, even though it's been open for a year. The service was chaotic, the details were all over the place, and the whole experience was frustrating. It's so weird because their Hacienda Heights location, which I've been to many times, is always flawless. How can the same brand feel so different? Final Bow: Room for Redemption If Yakiya's team can get their act together - better training, clearer menus, and more attention to detail - this place might actually live up to its potential. For now, though, it's more smoke than fire, and not in the way they intended. Would I come back? Only if they can bring this performance up to Yakiya's usual standards. Right now, it's a show that definitely needs a few more rehearsals.

My first ever omakase of any sort, and it's at Yakiya! I came in with no expectations but came out with lots of rave about this place. First off, reservations were easy at resy.com. Came on a Friday night, and free parking - super easy to park in an open lot. You may miss the opening at night, so just drive slow. The ambiance was modern, classy yet smart casual. We looked at the menu and there were 2 options available. The hotpot or wagyu bbq, we opted for the bbq. We wanted to place drink orders but weren't asked until 2 courses later, which was weird but that can all be overlooked because we were in for a wonderful experience. I love from start to finish, they explained each course and Lester, our server, went above and beyond. He is very knowledgeable and very easy-going as a server. He was at the top of his game. Our favorite was the wagyu ribeye with the poached egg.. but we enjoyed all the courses, even the raw vegetables! If you have an allergy, they can also customize your course. We enjoyed the bone marrow shots and complimentary yuzu lemonade drinks! Also that sesame ice cream?? Icing on the cake. I would buy a pint to go home if they have it avail lol. Although the price is steep, it is worth every penny. I would love to come here again for a celebration or just to enjoy time with family or friends.

Fancy, elegant place. Service is amazing, all the staff is attentive and fast. They cook the food in front of you and there was a lot of new things for me to try. I liked all the details in this restaurant, from the gold accents all around to the smart toilet in the restroom. However, I was not impressed with the quality of the meat and did not like the "miso" stuff they have added to everything. Also the portions are very small and I was still hungry after my experience was over. If you're looking for a cute vibe place, this is it. If you're looking for unforgettably delicious food, pick something else.

I think the new lunch weekend special is a worthwhile deal at $48 a person. It includes five courses, and it was just enough for me to be full without overdoing it. I've been going to Yakiya ever since their first location grand opened and have been back periodically. This is my first time at this location, but it definitely gives the same exact vibes as the other one. Overall, the food and service are strong, and I would definitely consider coming back for dinner as well.

I am a loyal customer that will celebrate my son 's birthday or meet a client in Yakiya. Yesterday I bought my best friend in with our family to celebrate her belated birthday and the experience is bad. They are having an in room event for yelp and our service are definitely affected by it . We sat down and no water for us to drink . Our waiter jimmy show up and we ordered drink which we did not receive our drink when our main course arrive . Jimmy disappeared on our second round of meat service so my husband try to cook by himself and jimmy came back and ask why u took my job and comment my husband " this is stupid" . We were all shocked. The plate is missing for us to eat, he took a spoon away and we need to use the small spoon for rice . It is just awkward . I have to ask for a refill I have to ask for a plate ???? I am definitely not happy with the experience , tell me how can I eat my beef with the rice without a plate and knife ? Dear manager , I wish you reply to me .

Made a last minute reservation, literally 30 minutes before, for a 7:30 PM reservation on a Wednesday night, and boy am I glad I did. Brought my lady and my mom to celebrate our 1 year anniversary. To my surprise, we were the only diners. We were seated by Jason (one of the managers), who ended up doing almost EVERYTHING. I mean cocktails, cooking the meats, servicing drinks, this man was a jack of all trades. Hats off to you Jason for the amazing service and night to remember. The food was truly amazing. The drinks were spectacular. I really liked how they presented their dishes with the smoke/dry ice. You can tell a lot of thought and training goes into this. I really have nothing bad to say as I couldn't find a single flaw. I would strongly recommend anyone to come and celebrate something special.. Perhaps it was a bit odd that we were the only diners on a Wednesday Night. I truly hope this place makes it long term not only because they deserve it, but I can tell a lot of capital has been put in upfront. If you look at the decor or even the stacked bar, everything is luxury and high-end. I suspect it was empty because it is costly to dine like this frequently, maybe they'll come out with a really great happy hour. Complimentary Parking is available and plentiful within the back. I will surely be back.

Brought hubby for his birthday last year and ordered the prix fixe dinner. I highly recommend Yakiya for special occasions. The spacious interior is modern, dark, and brooding. We enjoyed all of the courses aside from the bone marrow luge cuz the complementary whiskey was a bit harsh. Would like to return to try the hotpot and also the bar or lunch tasting menu.

ive been to the rowland heights locations in 2021, lets see how this new location and menu changes are after 2 years! r e s t r o o m s : once you open a stall, you are greeted by a full stacked bidet! personally dont need all the features but its nice to see one. handsoap was very nice and lux! 10/10 bathroom. f o o d : original tasting menu $128 overall a very well rounded meal with great service. nice variety of lean and fatty meats to unique sides! perfect for a special occasion cause they do a little extra something for you if you let them know ;) s e r v i c e : very attentive and social :3 p a r k i n g : plenty of space so no need to worry about searching for one. contrast to the rowland location.

A solid 4.5 star! Made a reservation through Resy for lunch on a Sunday. They currently have the lunch menu set for $48 per person and they also have the dinner menu available during lunch as well at $128 per person. I got the lunch set and added chunk rib and hot green tea on the side. Out of all the dishes, I really like the bone marrow rice. The sauce they use has a super umami flavor and it goes so well with the mushroom and bone marrow. Every bite was perfect! The meats are pretty solid but it wasn't completely "melt in your mouth" experience that I hoped for. Presentation was amazing! Great atmosphere and service was on point! There's plenty of parking in the plaza. Overall a pretty solid spot to try!

Came to this location for the first time for lunch. Ambiance and decor is very similar to the Hacienda location. We ordered the regular menu but noticed that it was inferior to the original location. Don't get me wrong, everything was delicious! But wasn't like omg this is amazing - which has been our consistent reaction at the Hacienda spot. Where it does win is their service - far superior. From my sister's pregnancy needs to my nephew's dietary restrictions, they went above and beyond for us.